If you’ve ever experienced a Papua New Guinean wedding ceremony, you’ll know that it is an extravagant affair.
In this issue of Paradise, come with us to a traditional village wedding where drums, dancing and offerings are part of the day-long celebration.
Our writer, John Brooksbank, not only reports on the celebrations but delves into the customs and traditions that are behind such big events.
Our Traveller section, meanwhile, covers vast tracts of the country with stories about diving, fishing and trekking.
We look at some of the best diving in PNG waters, from Bootless Bay near Port Moresby to the Bradford Shoals near Kimbe.
Come fishing with us, too, at remote Baia Sportfishing Lodge on New Britain Island.
Anglers travel from all over the world to visit this lodge to catch the legendary Papuan black bass, regarded as one of the strongest freshwater fish species on the planet.
Local writer Lemach Lavari goes inland and tackles the Kokoda Trail.
“It’s one of the toughest physical activities I have ever taken on,” he says. But at the same time, he observes in his story that one of the guides wears flip-flops along the entire gruelling 96-kilometre journey!
One of Air Niugini’s most popular routes is between Port Moresby and Cairns. If you’re one of the passengers heading to Cairns, don’t miss our feature on the tropical city. We explore what to do, where to go and where to stay in ‘72 hours in Cairns’.
We’ve started a new column called ‘Know Thy Neighbour’, which focuses on a country near PNG. First up, we explore Timor-Leste. Find out what makes this place tick: where it is, what language they speak, its history, what’s there for visitors and much more.
In sport, we profile the two powerhouse teams in the National Soccer League. Between them, Lae City and Hekari United have won every championship in the competition’s 15-year history.
Happy flying!
Robert Upe, Editor